1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to apparatus used for horizontally moving batteries into and out of battery compartments in battery powered vehicles and battery powered electrical machinery.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Battery movers have been developed which horizontally move battery packs into and out of battery compartments in electrically powered vehicles. These battery movers generally have included roller mechanisms located in a horizontal support to facilitate horizontal movement of the battery packs into and out of battery compartments of the electrically powered vehicles. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,122,244, 3,259,365 and 4,101,038. Since battery packs are usually so heavy that they cannot be readily pushed or pulled by a man along the horizontal support, a winch has been used in the prior art apparatus having a horizontal support to pull a cable or rod which is connected to the battery pack to move the battery pack into and out of the battery compartment. See the aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,122,244, 3,259,365 and 4,101,038. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,101,038, it is suggested that a pulley may be connected to a stationary structure associated with a vehicle having a battery pack removed in a position which is on the side of the vehicle opposite a service rack which horizontally supports the battery pack after removal from the vehicle and that a cable which is reeled and unreeled by a winch may be rotated around the pulley and may be secured to the opposite side of the battery pack to cause the battery pack to be pulled into the battery compartment during rotation of the winch.